Once Nutan got involved in a controversy when she publically slapped one of the then budding actors Sanjeev Kumar. The whole issue was over the statement of Sanjeev Kumar in which he had allegedly said that Nutan was in love with him while he wasn't; however, Nutan had considered his statement as a wrong one.

Initially, her mother didn’t expect a bright career of Nutan in the film industry.

Nutan started her career as a child artist (at the age of 14) with the film ‘Hamari Beti’ (1950) along with her sister Tanuja Mukherjee which was directed by her mother.

Nutan as a child artist

Before making her debut with ‘Hamari Beti’ (1950), she had appeared in a small role in the mid-1940s film ‘Nala Damayanti’.

Nutan- Nala Damayanti

Thereafter, Nutan worked in the movies like ‘Nagina’, ‘Hum Log’, ‘Shikwa’, and ‘Shabab’; however, she could not get much success with these films, as a result, in 1953, Shobhna sent her to Switzerland for the further studies. Interestingly, her schoolmates had no idea that she was an actress in Bombay.

After completing her studies, she returned to India and appeared in the popular Hindi film ‘Seema’ in which she played the role of ‘Amiya Chakraborty’ and was featured in the song ‘Man Mohana Bade Jhooth’ which was not only impressed the audience but also the living legend Lata Mangeshkar.

After giving the brilliant performance in the ‘Seema’, Nutan had never looked back, and she went on to give back-to-back superhit films like ‘Heer’, ‘Baarish’, ‘Paying Guest’, ‘Kanhaiya’, ‘Bandini’, ‘Yaadgaar’, ‘Kasturi’, ‘Paisa Yeh Paisa’, ‘Karma’, and many more.

She had always maintained a traditional image; however, she surprised everyone after wearing a swimsuit in the film ‘Dilli Ka Thug’ (1958).

Nutan wearing a swimsuit

Soon after giving a string of hits, Nutan got married to a Commander Rajneesh Bahl in 1959. The similar thing was reprised by her sister’s daughter Kajol when she got married to Ajay Devgn; as when she got married, she was also at the peak of her career same as Nutan was.

Out of the four Filmfare Awards for Best Actress that she had won in her career, three were after her marriage and even the birth of her son.

In 1960, Nutan sang a song ‘Aye Mere Humsafar’ (Chhabili), which was written by Nutan herself.

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She assumed Bimal Roy as her godfather who gave her a chance to act in the super hit film ‘Bandini’ (1963), and she extremely believed that the movie had played the most significant role in her entire film career.

Nutan- Bandini

In 1963, Nutan and Dev Anand made a fine pair in ‘Tere Ghar Ke Samne’. Dev Anand also said in her praise-

“Nutan was one of the few actresses with whom one could have an intelligent conversation.”

Nutan- Tere Ghar Ke Samne

In 1965, she was featured in the song ‘Tumhi Mere Mandir Tumhi Meri Pooja’ (Khandan), which was sung by Lata Mangeshkar; the song won Lata Ji her last Filmfare Award before she opted out for being nominated for the Filmfare Awards.

The magnitude of Nutan’s versatile performances can be considered with the facts that even after turning 40, she had essayed different iconic character roles.

Nutan in different roles

Nutan filed a case against her mother when she had started observing that her earnings were misappropriated by her mother and broke off all relationship with her.

By the late 1980s, her interest was started inclining towards her family, singing devotional songs, and in grooming her son Mohnish Behl‘s career.

Nutan was lucky enough to see her son get established in the film industry with the film ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’; before she passed away in 1991.

Nutan’s son Mohnish Behl in Maine Pyar Kiya

In February 1991, she was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, but a few days later, she passed away. At the time, she was filming for ‘Garajna’ and ‘Insaniyat’.

Nutan’s last movie was ‘Naseebwala’, which was released after her death in 1992.

Nutan- Naseebwala

Actresses like Sadhana Shivdasani and Smita Patil considered Nutan as their idol.

Nutan with Smita Patil

Nutan was a trained Kathak dancer.

In February 2011, the Government of India released a postal stamp in her honour.

Nutan Image on Indian Postage Stamp

In 2011, her name was listed by Rediff.com on the list of ‘third-greatest actress of all-time’ (after Nargis and Smita Patil).